Zarathushti Core Beliefs: Session at XVI NAZC 2012

This video was the introductory segment on the session titled "Zarathushti Core Beliefs". This was presented at the XVI North American Zarathusti Congress 2012, hosted by ZAGNY in New York in August 2012.

Outline of Session

In keeping with the theme of the 2012 North American Zarathushti Congress – Zarathushti Existence in the Contemporary World – this opening session will cover the Zarathushti core beliefs. We will cover what Zarathushtra says in his Gathas and how our core beliefs should follow his eternal teachings. We will explore our core beliefs as they apply to our daily lives as Zarathushtis, beyond Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta. In order to make this session more meaningful to all Zarathushtis, young and old, part of this opening session will have a question/answer dialog with a selected group of Zarathushti youth and the presenter to explore our core beliefs as they apply to Zarathushtra’s teachings. Some important core beliefs will be recited by the whole audience in an environment of a community Hum Bandagi which will bring a sense of involvement for all in a magical environment.

Anahita Dua will relate how the daily guiding principles presented by Ervad Soli Dastur have guided her life. She will describe how these principles have enabled her to clearly see situations as they arose, and make the right choices. Daily living is comprised of not only a few major decisions but countless little opportunities. Anahita will relate personal experiences to suggest that all of us can learn to shape our lives by Zarathushti core beliefs and principles.

Khushroo Patel will talk about his late wife Roda Patel’s inspiring story. In 1977, Roda was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 43 while her kids were still very young. After surviving cancer, she wanted to give back by serving those who truly needed her medical skills. In 1994 she began to serve as a pediatrician at Gram Seva, a small start-up and free hospital in Kharel, India. As a pediatrician she cared for children from villages in Gujarat, who had no access to healthcare. She made it her mission to focus on correcting malnutrition, and sold her own oil paintings to raise funds for the hospital. By August 2011, this one woman army had collected $1.8 million for Gram Seva. The number of children treated today has grown from 32 to 5,000. Roda Patel lived by, and Khushroo Patel continues to live by, the motto “Service to humanity, is service to God” and “Work is Worship”. Their lives, in living their Zarathushti beliefs, are an example to us all.